740.00119 EAC/112: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10 p.m.]
1942. Comea35 36. I have received the Department’s 1666, March 4, midnight, Eacom 10, containing information about WS–58b and WS–59b regarding Bulgaria, which I understand are enroute to me by air pouch. In addition to this, my military advisor has received a JCS document 722 containing texts of WS–56a and WS–57b,36 relating to Hungary.
Neither of my colleagues on the Commission has yet mentioned the question of terms for Hungary or Bulgaria.
I note from the wording of the comments made in respect to each of these countries as well as Rumania that it is left to the three Governments [Page 312] to decide—presumably outside the Commission—when each country is in a position to offer unconditional surrender.
I also note that our 27 principles, which we are asked to apply indiscriminately in the case of all three countries, make no allowance for the problems created by the presence in those countries of German troops. There are very few of those provisions which would not be directly affected by this practical consideration.
I take it from this that our Government does not wish me to envisage in my discussions with respect to the satellite countries any situation other than that which will prevail after the events of the war have led to the withdrawal of German forces from at least certain portions of these areas, and after the three Governments have accordingly agreed that the respective country is in a position to offer unconditional surrender.37
- Designation assigned to a series of telegrams from the European Advisory Commission to the Department.↩
- Neither printed.↩
- For correspondence pertaining to possible modification of the principle of unconditional surrender as applied to satellite countries, see vol. i , section entitled “Application of the principle of unconditional surrender …”↩